Table to construction and methods



Sept 10, 1957 B. J. OOM

TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION AND METHODS Filed Sept. 30, 1955 INVENTOR njamznATTORNEY Uite v 2,805,907 TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION AND NIETHODS BenjaminJ. 00111, Grand Rapids, Mich assignor to American Seating Company, GrandRapids, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 30,1955, Serial No. 537,797 9 Claims. (Cl. 311107) The present inventionrelates to top construction for tables, desks and the like.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an improved tabletop and method for making the same; to provide a table top having anouter decorative edge molding or rim and an inner structural rimsecurely fastened to the top panel proper and providing rigid and sturdymeans whereby the table top may be mounted on suitable supporting legsor standards.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a table top constructed according to theinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of partsthereof taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the same taken online 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a length of stock herein called theinner rim;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged vertical cross-section through a portionof the outer rim;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a length of extruded stock from whichthe outer rim is made; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a length of the completed outer rimstock.

Referring now in detail to these drawings, the table top shown inFigures l3 generally comprises a top panel 10 which may be of solidwood, plywood, plastic laminate or other suitable material, an inner rim11 preferably fabricated from steel stock of required strength, and anouter rim 12 preferably fabricated of aluminum which possesses goodstructural and also decorative characteristics.

The inner rim 11 is formed so as to provide an upstanding outer wall 13having an upwardly-inwardly inclined shoulder 14- along its upper edgeand a downwardly-inwardly inclined lower portion 15. An upper flange 16extends directly inwardly from the shoulder 14, and a lower flange 17extends directly inwardly from the lower portion of the inner rims outerwall 13. When formed into a rectangular frame for the support of a tabletop panel as seen in Figure 1, this inner rim 11 possesses greatrigidity and provides the structural element to which legs, standards orother supporting structure (not shown) may be rigidly connected. Theshoulder 14 of the inner rim is pierced with spaced elongated apertures18 therealong which are desirably equidistant.

The edge molding or outer rim 12 is initially produced as an aluminumextrusion as seen in Figure 6, having an upstanding outer wall 19 thebottom marginal edge 29 of which is inclined slightlydownwardly-inwardly as best illustrated in Figure 5, an inwardly andslightly downwardly extending upper flange 21, and aninwardly-downwardly extending medial flange 22 running intermediate thetop and bottom of the outer rims outer wall 19. Subsequent to extrusionof this outer ice rim 12, portions of its medial flange 22 are cut awayso as to leave equidistantly spaced, inwardly-downwardly extendingfingers 22a adapted to register with the apertures 18 in the shoulder 14of the inner rims outer wall 13.

After the top panel 10 has been cut to the desired size and shape andthe inner rim 11 and outer rim 12 have been cut to required length andformed, the parts are assembled as best seen in Figures 2 and 3. The toppanel 10 is placed with its under marginal edge adjacent the inner rimsupper flange 16. The outer rim 12 is then placed with its upper flange21 adjacent the upper marginal edge of the top panel, with theperipheral edge of the top panel abutting the outer rims outer wall 19,and with the outer rims fingers 22a projecting inwardlydownwardlythrough the apertures 18 in the inner rims shoulder 14. Finally theinner end portions of the fingers 22a are deformed preferably bytwisting them as seen in Figures 2 and 3. This operation draws all ofthe parts together with the top panel 10 securely clamped between theupper flanges of the inner and outer rims. This final operation alsoflattens the outer rims upper flange 21 against the top panel 10 andflattens the outer rims outer wall 19 against the inner rims outer wall13, so that there are no open joints between the parts.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a top construction fora table or the like, and a method of producing it, which is simple andalso strong, durable and attractive. While but one specific embodimentof the invention has been herein shown and described, it will beunderstood that numerous details may be altered or omitted withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A top construction for a table or the like, comprising: a top panel;an inner rim having an upstanding outer wall provided with aperturestherethrough and having an upper flange extending from the upper edge ofits outer wall inwardly adjacent the under marginal edge of said toppanel for supporting the top panel; and an outer rim having anupstanding outer wall and an upper flange extending from the upper edgeof its outer wall inwardly adjacent the upper marginal edge of said toppanel, said outer rim being provided with integrally formed fingersextending from its outer wall inwardly through the apertures in theouter Wall of the inner rim, and having their inner end portionsdeformed to secure the aforesaid parts in assembly with the top panelclamped between the upper flanges of the inner and outer rims.

2. A top construction for a table or the like, comprising: a top panel;an inner rim having an upstanding outer wall provided with anupwardly-inwardly inclined shoulder along its upper edge and aperturesthrough said shoulder, said inner rim having also an upper flangeextending from said shoulder inwardly adjacent the under marginal edgeof said top panel for supporting the top panel; and an outer rim havingan upstanding outer wall and an upper flange extending from the upperedge of its outer wall inwardly adjacent the upper marginal edge of saidtop panel, said outer rim being provided with integrally formed fingersextending from its outer wall inwardly-downwardly through the aperturesin the shoulder of the inner rims outer wall, said fingers having theirinner ends deformed to secure the aforesaid parts in assembly with thetop panel clamped between the upper flanges of the inner and outer rims.

3. An edge molding for a table top or the like com prising an extrusionhaving an upstanding outer wall, an inwardly extending continuous upperflange and an inwardly extending medial flange running intermediate thetop and. bottom of said moldings outer wall with portions thereof 1 cutaway to provide attachment fingers.

4. An edge molding for a table top or the like comprising an extrusionhaving an upstanding outer wall, an inwardly extending-continuousupper-flange. and an inwardly-downwardly extending-medial flange runninginter-mediate the top. and bottom of saidmoldings outer wall withportions thereof cut away toprov ide attachment fingers. I

5. An edge molding for a table top orthe like comprising an extrusionhaving an upstanding outer wall with its lower marginal edge inclinedslightly inwardly, an inwardly -and slightly downwardly extendingcontinuous upper flange, and an inwardy-downwardly extending medialflange running intermediate the top and bottom of saidmoldingsouter-wall with portions thereof cut away to provide attachment fingers.

6.'The method of -making an edge molding for a tabletop'or thelike'which comprises extruding a continuous'molding with an upstandingouter wall, an inwardly extending upper flange, and an inwardlyextending medial flange running intermediate the top and bottom ofsaidouter wall and thereafter cutting away portions of said medialflange and leaving other portions thereof to provide attachment fingers.

7. The method of constructing a table top'having a top panel, astructural inner marginal rim and a decorative outer marginal rim, whichmethod comprises: forming the inner rim so as to provide an upstandingouter wall and an inwardly extending upper flange; piercing the outerwall of said inner rim with spaced apertures therealong; extruding theouter rim so as to provide an upstanding outer wall, an inwardlyextending upper flange and an inwardly extending medial flange runningintermediate the top and bottom of said outer rims outer wall; cuttingaway portions of the outertrims medial flange so as to leave spacedfingers adapted to register with the apertures in the inner rims outerwall; assembling the inner and outer rims to the top panel with thelatters marginal edge clamped between the upper flanges of'the inner andouter rims and with said fingers on the outer rim projecting inwardlythrough the apertures in the inner rim; and finally deforming saidfingers so as to secure all of the aforesaid parts in assembly.

8. The method of constructing a table top having a top panel, astructural inner marginal rim and a decorative outer marginal rim, whichmethod comprises: forming the inner rim so as to provide an upstandingouter wall having an upwardly-inwardly inclined shoulder along its upperedge, and an upper flange extending inwardly from said shoulder;piercing said shoulder with spaced aper-' tures therealong; extrudingthe outer rim so as-to provide an .upstanding outer wall, an inwardlyextending upper flange, and an inwardly-downwardly extending medialflange running intermediate the top and bottom of said outer rims outerwall; cutting away portions of the outer rims medial flange so as toleave spaced fingers adapted to register with the apertures in theshoulder of the inner rims outer wall; assembling the inner and outerrims to the top panel with the latters marginal edge clamped between theupper flanges of the inner and outer rims, with the top panelsperipheral edge abutting the outer wall of the outer rim, and with thefingers on the outerrim projecting inwardly-downwardly through theapertures in the shoulder of the inner rims outer wall; and finallydeforming said fingers so as to secure all of the aforesaid parts inassembly.

9. The method of constructing a table top having a top panel, astructural inner marginal rim and a decorative outer marginal rim, whichmethod comprises: forming the inner rim so as to provide an upstandingouter wall having an upwardly-inwardly inclined shoulder along its upperedge, and an upper flange extending inwardly from said shoulder;piercing said shoulder with spaced apertures therealong; extruding theouter n'm so as to provide an upstanding outer wall, having its bottommarginal edge inclined slightly inwardly, an inwardly and slightlydownwardly extending upper flange, and an inwardly, downwardlyextendingmedial flange running intermediate the top and bottom of saidouter rims outer wall; cute ting away portions of the outer rims medialflange so as to leave spaced fingers adapted to register with theapertures in the shoulder of the inner rims outer wall, assembling theinner and outer rims to the top panel with the latters marginal edgeclamped between the upper flanges of the inner and outer rims, with thetop panels peripheral edge abutting the outer Wall of the outer rim, andwith the fingers on the outer n'm projecting inwardlydownwardlythrough'the apertures in the shoulder of the inner rims outer wall; andfinally deforming said fingers so as to secure all of the aforesaidparts in assembly with the upper flange of the outer rim flattenedagainst the top panel and the outer wall of the outer rim flattenedagainst the inner rim.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS1,235,431 Burrowes July 31, 1917 1,664,292 Glockler Mar. 27, 19281,690,286 Fitch et al. Nov. 6, 1928 1,720,682 Larter July 16, 19291,815,167 Soper July 21, 1931 1,994,062 Bonanno Mar. 12 1935 2,099,122Kreisler Nov. 16, 1937 2,646,326 Stanitz July 21, 1953 2,665,182 StanitzJan. 5, 1 954 2,722,625 Bingeman et a1. Nov. 1, 1955

